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Senior Iranian officials have mounted a rhetorical counteroffensive against US framing of the confrontation with Iran as a 'civilizational war.' Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei invoked ancient Persia's defeat of Rome, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baqaei accused Secretary of State Rubio of historical distortion, and Iran's acting defense minister dismissed US threats as rhetoric from the 'Pentagon's kindergarten,' saying the battlefield will have the final say. Iran's police chief also highlighted the force's role in recent conflicts. The statements reflect Tehran's effort to project defiance and historical legitimacy amid sustained US pressure and threats of military action.